Report – Friday – Honda, the new outsider?

Fourth, here is Jenson Button’s position achieved during the second round of tests this afternoon. After Australia last week, where Honda had already made an impression, the Japanese team could do it again.

After Barrichello’s surprising 7th place in Melbourne, which will unfortunately result in a disqualification, the path to success seems partly open…

For now, after a morning that was reasonable overall with Button in the top 10 at 9th place and Barrichello, 13th, the afternoon was even more productive, with the Englishman finishing in the top 5 while the Brazilian was on the verge of achieving one of the top 10 fastest times.

The comparison between today and the Honda team we left in 2007 is striking. Malaysia is considered an emerging country, but the designation of an emerging team could also take on meaning at the end of this weekend…

Jenson Button – 9th and 4th:

The track here in Sepang has been completely redone since last year. So it was important to see the differences. We carried out the usual Friday work such as tire evaluation. In any case, it was a very valuable test day in anticipation of the weekend.

« We made good progress over the day, and I am happy with the car and its balance, which is a positive. On Friday, it’s always difficult to know where we are compared to the competitors. I hope we can continue to improve the car tonight and tomorrow. »

Rubens Barrichello – 13th and 11th:

« I am very satisfied with the car’s setup with worn tires and we have done a good job maintaining a good pace on long runs. However, I am still struggling with the setup of the car with new tires. We need to review the data and improve tomorrow. »

We had a good weekend in Melbourne, but it is important to keep our feet on the ground and continue to work as hard as possible. The car is very comfortable. If we manage to secure a good position on the starting grid, then I’m sure we can have a good race.

Steve Clark – Race and Test Director.

At the car level, temperature is a crucial factor for reliability. This humid heat also weighs on the drivers’ bodies. Dehydration is therefore a real issue during the race, and our drivers work on that aspect. The heat and the new track surface are real challenges for the tires.

« So far, the results seem very encouraging. The balance of the car is not yet at the level we hoped for, but we can still improve. The pace is encouraging, especially when the onboard fuel load is significant. »